At first I thought it would be a difficult read for me because the narrative jumps from the present to the past, or to random memories and thoughts, but I gradually got used to it and really enjoyed the book. It was something new for me.

I finished the book today and I can’t stop thinking about it. I’m pretty creeped out.

Despite the fact that the book was published in 1985, it seems very up-to-date. The idea that such a regime was created (among other reasons) because >!“men could no longer control women” seems too real. I believe that there are men who would like to have women fully in their power. To control what they can wear, what they can do and especially what they must do.!<

In many countries, the government tries to control birth rate by banning abortions. Ideas against the freedom of women similar to those in the book can actually be seen in today’s society.

I can’t formulate it well, but the emergence of similar restrictions for women, even if not in such a drastic form, does not seem unrealistic to me.

Did you have similar feelings after reading this book ?

  • ChibiChupacabraOPBEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    Thank you for your input !

    I didn’t know about the inspiration by Iran before this discussion but I will definitely learn more about it.

    Really?

    I think yes. But as I said - similar - not precisely the same. Arranged or forced marriage still exists. I read that there are groups online which call for violence on women, rape included (more radical incel groups).

    There are people in today’s society who are calling for the complete removal of all civil liberties and the enforcement of a theocracy that executes every dissenter?

    I hope not.

    what she’s actually done is taken a few trending headlines and accelerated them to the greatest hyperbole she can get away with

    I agree that she basically took every bad thing that has ever happened to women and made a regime out of it. But I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing. At the very least, it shows what has been going on somewhere in history (or the possible future, if we’re talking about abortion laws). And if it makes people learn more about such wrongdoings (or realize that they are/were real) and educate themselves about the issue of limiting freedom, then the book has the right effect.